Localization of measles virus nucleic acid sequences in infected cells by in situ hybridization.

Vero cells were infected with measles virus and hybridized in situ to a cloned DNA fragment containing specific sequences for measles nucleocapsid protein. The DNA was labelled with tritium by nick-translation. The viral RNA were detected in the cytoplasm 21 hrs after infection. In many cells, the probe hybridized to nuclear structures, and in several mitotic cells, to chromosomes. After 36 hrs of infection, hybridization sites were found both in the center and in many nuclei of all the polykaryons. These results indicate that cellular distribution of viral RNA molecules varies in the course of infection. They further suggest that the nucleus plays a more active role than expected in measles virus transcription and replication.